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Successful Application of High-speed Imaging System in Observation of Propeller Cavitation

After numerous test explorations, CSSRC has successfully obtained the time evolvement process by adopting high-speed imaging system, providing a strong technological support for the research of propeller cavitation mechanism.

With the development of modern measurement technologies, high-speed photography has been increasingly widely used in fluid mechanics, shock and loading experiments. High-speed photography was applied in cavitation observation of hydrofoil and super cavitation experimental researches. However, observation of propeller cavitation was not so satisfactory owing to the rotation of propeller blades, the lighting effects and lighting dispersion of blade surfaces. The evolvement process of propeller cavitation had been recorded through a window opened in the ship model by using high-speed photography. The method was complicated and the images obtained were not so clear.

In the observation of propeller cavitation with the present high-speed imaging system, the propeller revolution can reach 28.3/s and the record sampling rate was 5000frames/s. Thus, during the propeller rotation, one picture can be obtained every two degrees. The whole process of caviation from emergence to disappearance can be observed. The observation time has been greatly reduced and the observation efficiency has been increased. The use of such an eco-friendly high-performance imaging system has greatly reduced the observation time, increased the observation efficiency, preventing the discomfort of eyes staring at the flicking light. Such an observation research has gained support from the Eleventh Five National Natural Science Fund.